Leon's high-speed finish provides cancer survivors with an athletic role model only weeks after the defrocking of Austin's more-famous cancer-battling competitor, Lance Armstrong.

WSJ: Iram Leon: May the Last Marathon Be The Fastest��Gusher Marathon

Fueling the effort in New York is outrage over the defrocking in May of two top finishers at a Gran Fondo race in the city.

WSJ: Cycling's Minor Leagues of Doping

In July, the pope issued a new set of laws for reviewing abuse cases and defrocking abusive clerics, doubling the statute of limitations for sexual-abuse cases to 20 years.

WSJ: Pope Defended Church Teachings